The "Vitter amendment," from Sen. David Vitter (R-La.),
would bar lawmakers, congressional staffers, and administration
staffers from receiving federal subsidies for health insurance
under Obamacare. It has been opposed by both Republican and
Democratic congressional staffs, because it effectively amounts
to a pay cut of thousands of dollars.

He just wants an up-or-down vote — probably because he wants to
use the Vitter amendment for its best purpose, which is as a
talking point, going into his re-election campaign next year.
Graham will be able to say that he voted to bar a congressional
"exemption" from Obamacare, a talking point that has been disputed on both the left and
right.

“Now, I hope the House rises to the occasion here,”
Graham told Costa. “But we’re down to
stopping bad things, and the only bad thing at this point that we
can really push on is the OPM rule. At this point, I’m not sure
if we’re going to get it, so I’m going to object on any deal
until I get that up-or-down vote. That’s only fair, and
I believe the American people will be with me.”

Graham is not likely to get his wish, so it remains to be seen if
he'll oppose a deal currently being discussed among a bipartisan
group of senators, including Majority Leader Harry Reid and
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The deal currently on the table
reportedly doesn't include anything relating to the Vitter
amendment.